Guilty Until Proven Innocent
by Antharyn
Summary: Gin is gone. What are the consequences to the part Izuru played? Izuru is guilty, Hisagi is in denial. Ikkaku just wants to kill someone. HisagixKira.
1. Chapter 1

**a/n: **For bliriel ( LJ) who wondered what happened to Izuru right after Gin left. Mild angst. Mild yaoi. Spoilers for the Soul Society Arc. Written for theme #15: hold 50scenes ( LJ). This is my own melodramatic yaoi-tinted version of what went on right after the three captains left. I haven't written like this in a long time so bear with me. It's really been a while. And I didn't really read this over so if you spot a mistake, feel free to beat me up for it. ^^

xxxxx

It was raining when he finally found Kira in the 1st Division Headquarters, in the room where the Captains had their meetings.

The room was packed with people, some he knew, others he didn't--captains, lieutenants, seated officers and regular shinigami from every division, all talking anxiously, their voices warring with the sound of rain falling on the roof until the combination created an incessant buzz that made his head ache. At the center of the room Yamamoto-soutaichou sat surrounded by a few captains and their lieutenants, deep in conversation. Rangiku stood to one side deep in thought and beside her…beside her Kira stood quietly, as still as a statue.

Relief welled up inside him at the sight and he pushed his way past several shinigami, never taking his eyes of the blond's motionless figure. But then Rangiku saw him first and his gaze shifted from Kira to the slightly shorter woman beside him.

What he saw shocked him.

The normally exuberant Rangiku looked exhausted. Her eyes were glassy and her face, wan. She looked for all the world to see as if her captain had just left her as well. Nevertheless, she looked up when he neared them and her shoulders sagged as though a great burden had just been lifted off them.

"Shuuhei," she sighed and went to him, taking him into her arms. "I'm so sorry." she whispered and Hisagi closed his eyes. For a moment the emotions he had chosen to lock into the far corners of the back of his mind threatened to overwhelm him and he clung to her, nearly crushing her against him. The din faded into the background until his mind knew nothing but her warmth. She held him and stroked his hair, murmuring softly in his ear, until he took a shuddering breath and pulled away, his composure regained.

She offered him a small smile which he returned.

"Go home, Ran," he said softly. "You look a fright."

She smiled again. "It _is_ kind of pointless standing here doing nothing," she said. She tucked a few strands of her strawberry-blond hair behind her ear and took a deep breath. Her voice trembled. "I…I have to see my captain." She looked guiltily up at him as though the mere utterance of the word was a crime. True enough, Hisagi felt his stomach churn but he ignored it. Rangiku continued. "They…they tell me he's going to be all right but…you know how he is; he can't take care of himself if his life depended on it." She tried to make light of the situation but she faltered and sobbed. From the corner of his eye Hisagi thought he saw Kira look up at them at the sound.

"Let's get you out of here," Hisagi said. He looked to Kira but the blond's head was down. He placed a hand on the small of Rangiku's back, guiding her through the crowd and toward the door. At the threshold she paused and turned to him.

"Stay with Kira, Shuuhei," she said. Hisagi frowned and turned to look at his former kouhai who was still standing where they had left him.

"He's fine."

"He's not."

Hisagi's frown deepened and Rangiku sighed. "Just stay with him. I'll be all right," she promised and finally stepped out the door. He meant to follow her—Kira could take care of himself—but she pinned him where he stood with clear blue eyes that lacked their usual vivacity. Without a word he stepped back into the room then watched her amble down the hallway until she was out of sight. Only then did he turn back to the chaos of the room.

The captains were arguing heatedly while their subordinates looked on in silence. The rain continued to pour outside. Kira had yet to move from where he stood.

Hisagi sighed and made his way back to him.

"Kira," he said softly once he was in front of the blond. Two shinigami he didn't recognize stood behind the blond and glared at him. Hisagi looked at them briefly before turning back to his friend.

"Hisagi-san." Kira greeted him then but without looking up.

Hisagi frowned and took a closer look at his friend. He didn't like what he saw. Kira's blond hair hung in limp strings over his pale face, having just dried from the rain. His uniform was damp and he trembled from head to foot. Hisagi guessed that he probably didn't look any better being soaked to the skin but he had a feeling the blond was trembling from more than just the cold.

"Hey," he said softly, gently laying a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I've been looking for you for hours." Still Kira didn't look up at him but he was undeterred. "Come on. Let's get out of here." He pulled at his friend to get him to follow.

He was completely unprepared for what happened next.

Quick as lightning a hand shot out through the air and gripped Kira's shoulder hard enough to make him wince. On instinct Hisagi grabbed Kira's wrist but didn't know what else to do out of shock. The two shinigami behind Kira glared at him over Kira's head and he felt anger surge through him.

"What's all this?!" he bellowed louder than he'd meant to, tightening his hold on his friend's wrist.

Heads turned to look at them. The captains themselves stopped talking to see what was going on. Silence fell and the only sound that could be heard was the pounding of the rain overhead. At the center of it all Hisagi stood, still not letting go of Kira.

"Let him go," he hissed dangerously, tugging on Kira's wrist. The blond didn't move.

Static seemed to crackle in the air until finally the larger of the two shinigami, the same one who held Kira's shoulder in a vise-like grip, spoke. "Kira-fukutaichou is to be detained pending his interrogation. He is not allowed to leave the premises until given direct orders by the commander-general himself."

"Detained?" Hisagi echoed incredulously. He looked from his friend to the shinigami gathered around them. In the crowd he could see Iba and Nanao looking on in confusion. No one else seemed willing to look him in the eye. "On what charges?"

No one answered him.

"This is bullshit," he said and stepped closer to Kira, slapping the offending hand of his shoulder. "You're coming with me." He said to his friend. "We're going home." From all around them came protests. _Reiatsu_ started to escalate collectively but Hisagi ignored it as he again attempted to pull Kira along with him. He heard Iba yelling at those who were trying to get to the two of them, mentally thanked him, but didn't turn around. He struggled to get past the shinigami between him and the door, turning a deaf ear on all of them—even the commander-general.

A sharp tug pulled him back. He heard Kira cry out and held on to his friend desperately, pulling at him until he was afraid he would tear Kira's arm off its socket. Even then he held on as he turned to face his friend's captor…only to find that Kira stood alone. The sentries—that's what they had to be since they had the daunting air of guards—still flanked the blond but neither of them touched him. Kira was holding himself back.

"Hisagi-san, please…" The blond's voice was barely above a whisper. His eyes were filled with quiet desperation but his voice was steady. "I can't leave. You've got to go. _Please_."

"Why?" Hisagi asked. He took a step closer to his friend. "Is this because of Hinamori?" Kira flinched. They all knew what happened to her. "Aizen tricked us all. It wasn't your fault." He didn't speak loudly, only loud enough for Kira to hear. "They're gone, Kira."

Again Kira flinched, and averted his eyes. Silence hung heavily in the air and Hisagi suddenly resented the presence of all the others, hanging back and watching them like wraiths. He looked up at them, at all the captains in the room. Ukitake-taichou and Kyouraku-taichou gazed at them sympathetically while the rest looked on in indifference. Only Soi Fong looked at them with disdain.

Finally the silence was broken by the commander-general himself. All heads turned to his direction as he stood up.

"The charge is treason," he said loudly. His deep baritone reverberated throughout the room. "Kira Izuru, vice-captain of the 3rd Division, is to go into trial for conspiring against the Gotei 13 and against all of Soul Society and assisting the felons Aizen Sosuke, Ichimaru Gin and Tousen Kaname in their defection." There were gasps and outraged outbursts from some of those in the room but the old man went on. His hard gaze moved from one shinigami to the next, sweeping across stunned faces, though none looked more aghast than the 9th Division Lieutenant. "Should he be found guilty the penalty is death!"

He thrust his cane at the floor in one fluid motion; the ensuing crack of wood against wood was loud in the silence. For a long moment everything in the room seemed muted, and then slowly the whispers started and quickly spread like wild fire.

Numbness went through Hisagi, seeming to start from the point where his fingers were still clasped around Kira's wrist. "Treason?" He whispered, turning to look at his friend. The blond looked back at him steadily but his wrist trembled in Hisagi's grasp and his eyes spoke of the turmoil in his mind. Slowly, Hisagi let his fingers go limp around Kira's wrist. The younger shinigami felt it and quickly lowered his eyes to the floor.

_Kira, a traitor,_ Hisagi thought. His friend—his best friend—was a traitor. A liar. Defector. Conspirator.

_No._

"You're innocent," he said suddenly, tightening his grip on Kira's wrist until he was sure it was painful. Kira gasped then cried out when Hisagi pulled him against him and he crashed into the brunet's hard body. "You. Are. Innocent." Hisagi repeated and Kira struggled to pull away.

Hours sick with worry in the rain came back to him and he crushed Kira against him, willing his heart to not break any more than it already had that day. "You're innocent," he repeated over and over, as if by repeating it so many times he could make it the truth. "Tell me you're innocent, Kira. Tell me!" In the back of his mind he saw Aizen's face, the way he remembered it before the events at Sokyoukou Hill. Kind, warm, eyes filled with compassion. He wanted to bash it in.

_How many people are you going to take from me?_ His mind howled. Around them the guards were trying to pull them apart as Yamamoto watched with increasing impatience. Ignoring the angry shouts of the guards and the low-level kidou spells thrown at him, he held on to Kira as if his life depended on it, begging him again and again to tell him he was innocent and that this was all just a nightmare.

Then in his arms Kira went completely limp. Hisagi struggled to hold them both up and faltered. They would have both fallen had strong arms not come around the both of them. Hisagi turned to see Ikkaku and Iba supporting them. He couldn't see Ikkaku's face but Iba had his sunglasses lowered enough so that he could see his eyes. His eyes were focused on Kira. Behind them Ikkaku snapped at one of the guards who came nearer. Nanao appeared and took a place between the four men and all the others in the room.

"Please, Kira," Hisagi whispered into his friend's hair. "Tell me it's not true."

Against him, Kira took a deep shuddering breath and forced himself to stand on his own feet. Light glinted off the tear tracks on his face when he lifted his head to look him in the eye. Hisagi opened his mouth to speak again but Kira interrupted, putting a hand as cold and clammy as ice over his lips.

"Forgive me," he said softly, only loud enough for his friends to hear. Nanao turned her head sharply to look at Kira and Hisagi felt both Ikkaku and Iba tense where they stood.

Kira smiled a sad smile and shifted to extricate himself from their hold. He moved to step back but was hindered by Hisagi's hand still on his wrist. He placed a hand over it.

"Hisagi-san…" he whispered. "Please let go."

Movement came from all around them and Hisagi suddenly remembered how to breathe. The guards and other shinigami closed in, pushing past Nanao, Iba and Ikkaku, but Hisagi refused to move until Kira slowly pushed him away.

"Shuuhei, you have to let go."

Hisagi closed his eyes at the sound of his first name on Kira's lips. A hand clamped down on his shoulder—Iba's hand, he knew. He tensed and unconsciously squeezed Kira's wrist.

Time seemed to slow and then come to a complete stop. "It's not true," he said. The words sounded hollow to his ears. He didn't know who he was trying to convince anymore. "You wouldn't. You would never."

Kira looked at him with a silent plea to remain calm. The hand over Hisagi's squeezed it gently.

Hisagi pulled Kira to him again and wrapped his arms around him. Kira was rigid with grief. "I'll see you after all this is over," he said, the words nearly stumbling over each other in a rush. "They can't…because you didn't…" He faltered miserably then lowered his head so his forehead touched Kira's. "I'll come get you when this is over."

"Shuu..." Kira began but Hisagi cut him off by brushing his lips against Kira's gently.

"I'm not gonna let them kill you, Izuru," he said so softly that he was sure only Kira heard him. Kira gasped and tried to cling to him but Hisagi slowly pulled away and let him go.

The guards immediately moved to stand between the two of them. Then Sasakibe Choujirou stepped up and regarded Hisagi carefully. "Hisagi-fukutaichou," he began. "I think it would be in everyone's best interests if you left now."

Hisagi nodded at the older shinigami and saw everyone in the room relax. Behind him Iba pulled at him with a hand on his shoulder and he reluctantly allowed himself to be led away from Kira who he could no longer see behind the guards. Ikkaku followed them.

"Get some sleep, Hisagi," Iba said gruffly once they were out the door and out of earshot. "This…all this ought'a be sorted out by mornin'. We'll have Kira back in no time."

Ikkaku grunted in agreement and Hisagi sighed.

"You believe he didn't do it?" He asked his friends.

Iba looked at him oddly and the silence that preceded his answer made Hisagi's gut twist.

"What I believe is that Ichimaru screwed him over," Iba finally answered. "Whatever he did it wasn't his fault."

Hisagi nodded, glad that someone else was on Kira's side. "I guess there's nothing I can do for him here, not now." Iba nodded and again Hisagi sighed. "I'm going home."

Ikkaku pushed himself off the wall he had been leaning on and followed him out into the night. the rain had finally stopped. They didn't speak as they walked but it was a comfortable silence and Hisagi let his mind wander, steering clear of the thoughts of his own captain's betrayal. He wouldn't think of that. Not until he was alone and, he decided belatedly, not until he was sure Kira was safe.

_Forgive me._

Kira's words floated unbidden into his mind and he cursed, hands closing into fists where he had them stuffed in his pockets.

_Dumbass_, he thought. _There ain't nothing to forgive._

Beside him Ikkaku stopped and Hisagi took a few more steps before stopping himself and turning to the bald shinigami. They were at the corner where they each took separate roads to get home.

A gust of wind blew past them and Hisagi shivered. Ikkaku looked at him grimly. "Did ya mean what ya said to him earlier?" He asked. "About not letting those bastards kill him?"

Hisagi was taken back. "You heard…"

"Yeah, I did, but barely so no one else knows. Now answer the question, I ain't got all night." The bald shinigami crossed his arms over his chest and glared. Hisagi thought back on what he had promised Kira.

"Yeah," he answered. "I meant it."

"Would ya die for him?" Ikkaku asked.

Hisagi felt something swell inside of him. "Of course." he answered.

Black pupils glinted under painted eyelids as Ikkaku regarded him solemnly. Then the bald shinigami nodded once. "Good" was all he said. Then he turned and began walking toward the direction of his house. Hisagi did the same.

Halfway home he stopped and turned, not really thinking about doing it but doing it all the same, retracing his steps, his feet no longer really connected to his mind. He rounded the corner where he and Ikkaku had gone their separate ways earlier and saw the bald shinigami coming from the opposite direction.

They saw each other and looked mildly surprised. Then without a word they both turned and sped out into the night, in the direction of the 1st Division Headquarters.

**END...?**

xxxxx

**a/n: **I'm not entirely sure if this is finished or not. If ever a second chapter comes around, you'll know. ^^


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Well, whaddaya know? I actually got around to continuing this thing! 8D I have also changed the title from Never Let This Go to Guilty Until Proven Innocent (which I'm sure you've noticed XD).

This chapter goes out to Ceestar as well as all those who read and reviewed the first chapter. In this chapter we have some Iba/Nanao and a tiny smidge of ShuuKira. Do enjoy!

xxxxx

The rain that had stopped hours ago returned with vengeance, pounding against the roof with all the rage of Mother Nature, yet surprisingly the sound of heavy raindrops barely reached her ears. The entire 1st Division Headquarters was darker than usual and it did nothing for Nanao's bad mood as she quietly made her way toward the lieutenant's conference room. Three captains had betrayed them and all of Soul Society was in disarray. The 4th Division was filled to the brink with injured shinigami; two of them captains, two of them lieutenants—all in critical condition. The _ryoka_ they had all been fighting against for days have suddenly become allies and somewhere along the way Kira-fukutaichou had been taken into custody for questioning. The oppressive gloom of the building mirrored the anxiety in her mind.

She shook her head and pinched the bridge of her nose as the events from earlier that night replayed in her mind. Ahead of her the door to the conference room loomed into view and relief washed through her when she identified the_ reiatsu _emanating from within.

Iba opened the door for her just as she reached it. The outside world was unusually dark because of the rain but in here it was almost pitch black, total darkness averted only by a single lit oil lamp. Again the gloom did nothing for her mood.

"What're ya still doin' here? Iba said gruffly as she stepped past him and into the room. She sighed and walked farther into the room, lighting more oil lamps along the way before taking a seat.

"The same as you," she said tiredly, stifling a yawn. "I'm waiting."

Iba's gaze moved from her face to the single burst of colour in the otherwise listless room. Hisagi was a silent silhouette in the semi-darkness where he sat with his head pillowed on crossed arms, a bright pink shawl he recognized to be Matsumoto's over his shoulders. Iba nodded and moved to take a seat beside Nanao.

"It's been hours since she went in; who knows when it'll be over?" he told her, tossing his sunglasses to the table and then rubbing his eyes with the heel of his hands. "You oughta go home, get some rest. Ya can always come back when all this is over."

To his surprise, she chuckled softly and smiled, lifting her glasses off her face and placing them neatly on the table in front of her. "I'm not waiting for Rangiku, Tetsuzaemon."

"Well, Hisagi ain't wakin' up anytime soon either. Almost had to knock 'im out, the stubborn shit."

Nanao shook her head. "I'm not waiting for him, either."

He stared at her blankly. Nanao sighed and rubbed at her temples then stood up and walked to the other side of the room. She rummaged through a small supply closet and came back with an armful of blankets. She carefully draped one over Hisagi then handed another one to Iba who took it without a word.

"You don't gotta," he said once she sat back down beside him. She smiled at him then placed both their glasses at the center of the table where they couldn't accidentally crush them in their sleep.

"I know," she said and draped the blanket over herself.

xxxxx

The dream was terrifying, roaring into an eddy of chaos with him at its center. When Hisagi looked up he saw blood-red eyes glinting in a flurry of flames, and sharp claws waiting to tear at his flesh.

The Soukyoku.

It howled with fury, drowning out his screams as the beast reared back to tower over him, snapping its beak, its heat unbearable.

_Where am I? What's happening?_ The words echoed hollowly in his mind.

"Hisagi…"

A voice called out to him, barely above a whisper. That voice. He recognized that voice but couldn't place a name on it. Flames licked at his skin. The great beast hovered over him, circling him, waiting to make the kill.

"Hisagi-san!" Another voice came, louder than the first—Kira's voice he was sure of it. It was gone as soon as it had come, lost to the roaring of the flames. He raised his head to respond then gasped when he saw his friend. Kira was there then, standing by Soukyoku with his head held high—perfectly calm and seemingly untouchable—as if he did not have the incarnation of death hovering over him menacingly. He shouted for his friend but his voice was drowned out when the great bird gave a mighty screech. The Soukyoku glared at him balefully, looming over the small figure that was Kira looking back at him solemnly. He seemed to be glowing under the light of the flames.

Then the voices suddenly came in all at once.

"_The charge is treason!"_

_No._

"_Kira Izuru, vice-captain of the 3rd Division, is to go into trial for conspiring against the Gotei 13 and against all of Soul Society—"_

"_Hisagi-san, please…you have to go."_

_Why?_

"—_and assisting the felons Aizen Sosuke, Ichimaru Gin and Tousen Kaname in their defection!"_

_They're gone, Kira._

"_Should he be found guilty the penalty is death!"_

_You. Are. Innocent._

_I'm not gonna let them kill you, Izuru._

The voices warred against each other; Yamamoto-soutaichou, his own, and Kira's. The Soukyoku reared back, screeching as if in response to the turmoil of voices. Hisagi looked to his friend desperately, shouting for him to run to him. Kira smiled.

"_Hisagi-san…please let go."_

_Tell me you're innocent, Kira. Tell me!_

"_Shuuhei, you have to let go."_

Hisagi stared in horror as the flames flared up and the Soukyoku spread its great wings. For a moment Kira seemed to have disappeared in the blaze and Hisagi's heart clenched painfully in his chest. Then Kira reappeared at the center of the flames, his face hidden from view by his hair. The Soukyoku's wings closed in around him almost lovingly, cradling Kira against its gigantic body. It let out a soft, almost crooning sound and Hisagi thought he saw a ghost of a smile on Kira's lips.

"_Forgive me."_

Kira's screams were almost as loud as Hisagi's as he was quickly incinerated by the power of a thousand soul slayers.

_There's nothing to forgive._

xxxxx

With a start, Hisagi bolted upright in his seat, his heart hammering in his chest. The flames, Kira's screams—the last vestiges of the nightmare burned away from his mind even as he shook from the horror of it, disoriented and with nothing but frightening half-images to help him make sense of it all. For a moment he stared unseeing into blankness, his mind reeling. And then slowly the world seemed to snap back into place until he recognized walls of the lieutenants' conference room. The world sharpened around him. The rain registered in his mind almost immediately. It was impossible to tell what time it was but the room was faintly grey with what he knew was the light of a new day. Hisagi had slept there through the night.

"Fuck," he gasped out, breathing as if he had just had the wind knocked out of him. The room was silent save for the rain and he brought his hands to his face to rub away the last dregs of sleep. They came away wet with cold sweat.

"Fuck," he said again.

"Hisagi-kun?"

He looked up from his hands at the sound of his name and saw Nanao standing across the room. "Ise-san," he greeted and she gave him a small smile. For a moment he wondered what she was doing here then spotted Iba's hulking form slouched over the table, asleep, and wasn't really surprised. She followed his gaze and blushed lightly. Her long black hair was down, flowing freely down her back, and she swept it back from her face with one hand before coming toward him, a steaming cup of tea in her hands. She handed it to him and he took it gratefully.

"What time is it?" He asked after taking a sip. The scent of green tea wafted around him and he closed his eyes, letting it soothe him, and missing the worried look on Nanao's face.

"About half past nine in the morning," she answered.

Hsiagi's eyes snapped open. He hadn't realized it was that late. "I've got to check on Kira," he said, setting his cup of tea on the table and moving to get up. Damn it, why didn't anyone wake him up? He pushed his chair back and Nanao got up when he did, deftly catching the thick fabric that slipped off his shoulders which he hadn't even noticed until now. As she rolled it up in her arms he caught a glimpse of bright pink cloth he recognized instantly.

Nanao caught his gaze. "She was called to testify in Kira-kun's trial last night," she said, answering his unasked question. Hisagi's eyes widened at the news. "She was in there for hours and came out exhausted." She saw concern now in his storm grey eyes and knew he was unsure of whom he should go see first. She wished Iba was awake; she had hoped she wouldn't be the one to have to tell him.

"She was asked to come back this afternoon," she began tentatively and Hisagi stared at her, confusion clearly written on his face, before the implication of her words set in. She put a hand on his shoulder sympathetically as he slowly sat back down. "I'm sorry, Hisagi-kun," she said. "The trial isn't over yet."

He nodded dumbly. Deep down he supposed he had already known when he woke up and Kira wasn't there. The others would have woken him up the moment Kira got out and he would have been there in an instant. He buried his face in his hands and groaned.

Nanao looked at him worriedly and sat back down next to him. "Rangiku says you should go home," she said softly and he lifted his head to look at her. The look on his face suddenly made her want to take him into her arms but she couldn't assume that she was in any position to. Instead she tried to smile but failed miserably.

Hisagi looked at her piteously. Her blue violet eyes showed more emotion than they usually did hiding behind her glasses and right now they radiated sympathy. Sympathy and exhaustion. Hisagi looked away.

The events from the day before came back to him in an unwelcome rush. Tousen-taichou was gone. His Division had no captain. Renji and Hinamori were hurt. And Kira…where was Kira? Vague images from his nightmare suddenly flashed through his mind and Hisagi felt himself begin to tremble.

_Fatigue_, he told himself_. It's because of the fatigue._

"Why can't they just let him out already?" He grit out. He put his head in his hands and sighed, trying to calm himself.

Nanao moved to lay a hand on his shoulder then stopped when she saw movement from the corner of her eye. Iba was staring at the two of them from across the table. Their eyes met and she nodded before they both slowly stood up from their seats. She made to move away to the other side of the room just as Iba headed for her recently vacant seat. Before the large man could sit down, however, Hisagi's head came up and he spoke.

"Where is he, Ise-san?" He asked.

She didn't have to ask who he was referring to. She and Iba glanced at each other. The 7th Division Lieutenant cleared his throat and Hisagi looked at him as if just noticing he was there.

"This is bullshit, Hisagi," Iba said. "Ain't nothin' you can do. Ain't nothin' any of us can do."

"Your Division needs you, Hisagi-kun," she added, hoping to reason with his sense of duty.

Hisagi closed his eye and took a deep breath at the mention of his Division. When he opened them again Nanao was taken aback by the anger she saw there. "I'll find him with or without your help," he said tersely. "Without it will only take longer." He stood up quickly, shoving his chair back so hard it toppled to the floor.

Nanao jumped at the sound and Iba leapt off his feet, grabbing Hisagi's arm as he made for the door. Before Nanao could make a move, Iba slammed Hisagi against the nearest wall with an arm against his throat.

"Tetsuzaemon!" she cried out and ran to them, taking hold of one of the burly man's arms. For a moment she was afraid he would throw her off but he merely ignored her and she hung on, at a loss as to what to do.

"Listen to me," Iba spoke and Nanao felt as if ice cold water was trickling down her spine. She had never heard him speak like that before and judging by the look on Hisagi's stunned face, neither had he. The temperature in the room seemed to have dropped lower and she unconsciously tightened her grip on Iba's arm.

"I slept on a fucking chair the whole night for your sorry ass and this is the thanks I get," he grit out. Slowly. Dangerously.

"Bastard," Hisagi choked out, struggling against the bigger man. "I didn't fucking ask you to!"

"Damn right ya didn't but we're still here!"

Nanao saw Hisagi's eyes dart to her face then back to Iba's. Anger raged in his storm-grey eyes and Nanao feared he would lash out at them. Then all of a sudden the anger changed into wide-eyed helplessness and Hisagi stopped struggling. He lowered his gaze and Nanao pulled at Iba until he let the younger shinigami go.

"Sorry," Hisagi said. His voice was hoarse.

Iba clamped a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Ya got it tough, you and Kira," he said. "I understand why ya think you gotta be there for him but stayin' here like this ain't doin' either o' ya any good." He shook his head. "Ya look like shit. Go home. Ya don't need this right now."

"But Kira…" Hisagi blurted out and then looked ashamed of himself. He looked to Nanao like a boy being scolded by an older brother. It almost made her smile. Almost.

"I've got to see Kira," Hisagi said and interrupted Iba when he opened his mouth to speak. "Just to see if he's okay."

Nanao looked quickly to Iba. The 7th Division Lieutenant muttered something that sounded like "stubborn bastard" under his breath but to her surprise, he was smiling. "Yeah, yeah, all right," he said and she gasped inwardly. Iba glanced at her sharply and she took the hint and kept her mouth shut.

Oblivious, Hisagi looked at Iba hopefully and the large man heaved a great sigh. "I got no clue where Kira is," he said. Hisagi cursed under his breath. "But I tell you what…he's in here somewhere. Them guards o' his? The ones from last night? Bet ya they know."

At this Hisagi snorted derisively. "They'll sooner arrest me than tell me where he is."

_He's probably right_, Nanao thought as she decided to step in. "Ikkaku-san went to see him earlier," she said.

"Oh, yeah. Guess ya'll just have to follow the mess then," Iba joked and Hisagi actually grinned. Nanao rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smile.

"If there's anyone who can find out where Kira-kun is, it's him," she continued. It was true. Madarame Ikkaku was known to go to extra measures to get what he wanted. "And if I'm not mistaken," she said slowly, reaching out with her _reiatsu_ to see if she was right. "He is still in the building." She smiled.

Hisagi's face held the look of someone concentrating very hard and she knew he was searching for their bald-headed comrade's _reiatsu_. He eventually looked back them.

"Why can't I feel Kira's _reiatsu_?" He asked and Nanao faltered.

"I…"

"Kid doesn't wanna be found. Hell, would you?" Iba said smoothly and Nanao bit back a sigh of relief. Hisagi looked stricken with worry but he said nothing.

Iba heaved another great sigh. "Just go already," he said gruffly, giving his friend a shove toward the door. "And if I catch your ass around here before this afternoon, you're a dead man, Hisagi."

Hisagi stumbled then righted himself, laughing. The sound lightened Nanao's spirit. "I'm going, I'm going," the brunet said as he made for the door. Halfway across the threshold he turned to look at the two of them and smiled.

"Thank you, Iba, Ise-san," he said with a slight inclination of his head.

"Don't mention it," Iba said and Nanao smiled and gave him a short bow.

Hisagi was gone when she looked up again and Iba moved to gather their things from around the room. She followed him quietly. Rangiku's scarf had been in her hands the whole time and she deftly folded it and laid it on the table. Iba handed her her glasses. She felt the familiar weight of them in her hands.

"You didn't tell him," she said as she put them on.

Iba put his own sunglasses on and shrugged.

Nanao shook her head, her long black hair swaying behind her. "He'll be angry, Tetsuzaemon," she continued, worried.

Iba looked at her unflinchingly. "Not at us," he said then looked to the door where they could still see Hisagi making his way down the hall. He sighed and shook his head.

"He ain't gonna be mad at us."

**TBC**

xxxxx

**A/N:** The next chapter (because there _will_ be one...someday...) will have IkkaKira and IkkaYumi. ShuuKira will remain the main pairing, though, once I get all the other characters out of the way. You'll have to bear with the plot being torn apart by a multitude of characters. Am not used to using a lot of different characters in one story.

Comments? Suggestions? Violent reactions? Bring it! No, seriously, if you don't like how this is going feel free to let me know. ^^


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N**: And here is the third chapter! Sorry for the long wait (though, I don't think anyone is actually reading this here XD). Enjoy!

* * *

"_Come wit'__ me, Izuru.__"_

_Those words were like a balm to his soul and when Kira felt his restraints slide off him and to the floor, he took a deep breath as if breathing for the first time. The cell door slid open, metal clanking hard against metal as the bars gave way to freedom, and he all but ran out to his Captain._

_He had been running ever since._

_And he couldn__'__t stop. He ran through back-alleys and side-roads, virtually blind in near-total darkness; running from__…__what? A terrifying vision of an ice-dragon came to his mind and he unconsciously sped up. The wood and stone of Seireitei disappeared around him and he was suddenly surrounded by impenetrable darkness._

_He skidded to a halt, trying to catch his breath. His lungs burned. His knees shook._

What am I doing?_ He asked himself. _Hinamori…Hinamori is hurt! Hitsugaya-taichou…Rangiku-san…

_What in God__'__s name was he __**doing**__?_

"_Izuru.__"_

_He looked up at the sound of that voice just as its owner stepped out of the shadows and into his sight. The room was dark save for a slender patch of light where the moonlight spilled in from the open doorway. Ichimaru Gin stood at its center. He cocked his head at his subordinate and smiled._

"_Taichou," he__ gasped out and forced himself to stand upright._

_The silver-haired shinigami walked calmly toward him. Kira swallowed audibly and didn__'__t move when his Captain lifted a hand and ran it through his blond hair. His long, elegant fingers came away dusted with ice crystals. Kira shivered._

"_Are ya hurt bad?" Ichimaru asked, tuck__ing his hands into his sleeves._

_Kira shook his head. __"__No, sir,__"__ he lied. He tried to keep as still as possible when his Captain leaned in close, uncomfortably so. Ichimaru__'__s grin seemed to widen when he noticed his adjutant__'__s unease. His eyes opened fractionally, allowing the younger shinigami a glimpse of crimson-red._

"_Taichou," The blond began tentatively. His voice was barely above a whisper for fear they would get caught. He could still feel the chill of Hyourinmaru on his ski__n, could still hear Hinamori__'__s near-hysterical cries. __"Where are we?"__ He asked._

_Ichimaru__'__s eyes left Kira to stare into the darkness around them. __"__Nowhere special,__"__ he said lightly. __"__Come wit__'__ me.__"__ Hands tucked into his sleeves, he led the way further into the gloom. Kira followed obediently, his blue eyes warily scanning the darkness but seeing nothing. He reached out with his reiatsu and stopped in his tracks when he found that he couldn__'__t. Something in the room was locking his spiritual energy down._

"_Ta__ichou,__"__ he called out worriedly and looked to the older shinigami. He stared into blackness. Ichimaru wasn__'__t there._

_Panic gripped him. Something was wrong. A sour smell permeated the stillness. Kira__'__s heart was beating wildly in his chest. The air felt violent__…__terrifying. His captain__'__s name slipped out from between his fear-clenched teeth as he felt bile rise up from the back of his throat._

"_Yare, yare," came Ichimaru'__s voice from behind him and Kira automatically spun on his heels to face him._

"_What am I goin'__ to do wit__'__ you, Izuru?__"__ Ichimaru leered at him and this time Kira took a step back._

"_Why did you release me?" He demanded. Ichimaru gave no reply. __There was only enough light in the room for Kira to tell exactly where his captain was standing. Ichimaru still had that smile on his face. __"Please tell me why you released me, Taichou."__ He asked again, softer this time. He willed his voice not to shake._

_This time the older shinigami opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted._

"_Enough games, Gin," a voice came out from __the darkness._

_Kira froze. He didn__'__t realize he had been holding his breath until it escaped him in a shuddering rush. It can__'__t be__…__ He thought. Very slowly he turned where he stood to face a man he thought he would never see again._

"_Aizen-taichou…" He breathed, fear choking his voice down to a whisper._

_The allegedly murdered 5__th__ Division Captain looked down at him warmly and smiled. __"__Good evening, Kira-kun,__"__ he said._

_Kira screamed._

* * *

His eyes fluttered open when voices reached his ears. The first thing he noticed was the light—faintly grey and spilling from the circular window over his head. Morning already, he thought miserably, and sighed.

Time passed oddly for Kira here, and he had no idea how long he had been sitting there, could barely tell the difference between wakefulness and blissful sleep. His body ached and his mind was blank as he tried to distance himself from his surroundings, from the tiny cell he was in, not unlike the one he had been in only days ago. The voices, whose owners couldn't have been more than ten feet away, sounded far away to his ears.

"I'm sorry but Kira-fukutaichou is not allowed any visitors."

Kira blinked and looked up at the sound of his name. Who would come to see him? He wondered numbly. Footsteps sounded from beyond his line of sight, approaching his cell, and he felt his limbs start to tremble when he remembered the last time someone had come to see him in prison. Ice touched his mind and trickled down his body until fear, ruthless and cold, clenched his heart in his chest. He gasped, suddenly feeling again the restraints wrapped tightly around him, ice-water crashing down on him, and, more vividly, the feel of cold sharp-nailed hands on his skin.

There was arguing out in the hall now. The voices grew louder as the speakers came closer and Kira shoved himself back against the wall, trying to get away from the shadows that grew steadily larger as someone approached.

The voices softened and then stopped abruptly. Someone stepped into view and Kira's eyes widened as silver hair glinted even under the dim light. Crimson-red eyes immediately flashed through his mind and he bit back a startled cry. He quickly shook his head clear of the unwelcome image.

"Sasakibe-san," he greeted as he lurched to his feet. To his relief, his voice was steady.

The 1st Division Vice-Captain regarded him without a word at first then heaved a great sigh. "You have a visitor," he said and, looking irritated, stepped aside to give room to none other than the 11th Division's 3rd seated officer.

Kira's breath left him in a soft exhale and he rushed to the bald-headed shinigami. "Ikkaku!" He cried out, overjoyed to see a familiar face after hours of solitude. He stopped short inches from the doors of his cell.

Ikkaku's eyes widened at the sight of the blond behind bars and he clenched his fists, fighting to remain calm. He heard Choujirou say his name in warning but ignored it. He stepped forward and closed the distance between him and Kira. "What the hell?" He grit out, taking hold of the bars. If they hadn't been made of metal, they would have been crushed in his grip.

Sensing the older shinigami's distress, Kira lifted his hands to grasp the same bars Ikkaku did; lightly touching the other's closed fists.

"You have ten minutes," Choujirou said as he turned to leave. He looked back at them after taking a few steps. "Madarame, one wrong move…" He warned sternly and Ikkaku scowled.

"I got it," Ikkaku said and Kira held on to his wrist to keep him calm. Choujirou nodded and closed the door behind him.

"How long?" The bald shinigami asked once they thought Choujirou was out of earshot. His voice was tight with barely controlled rage.

Kira swallowed. His eyes were over-bright and this time his voice shook when he spoke. "All night," he replied.

Ikkaku cursed under his breath. Hands tightening on the bars, he gave the cell door an experimental jolt. It clanked noisily against its hinges but held fast. The clang of metal echoed down the hall but Ikkaku didn't care. He made to do it again when strong hands gripped his wrists and squeezed.

"Stop it, Ikkaku" Kira whispered harshly, his blue eyes glaring a warning. Ikkaku heard the urgency in his voice and obeyed, albeit grudgingly.

"I thought they had ya in some low-ranking officer's quarters," he grit out. "Not in fuckin' prison!" He banged against the bars once more before groaning in frustration and leaning his forehead against his fists. "This is my fault," he said.

Kira closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "How could this possibly be your fault?" He asked, neither sarcastic nor angry. Just tired. To his surprise Ikkaku smiled; sardonically, but it was still a smile, if a frightening one. Ikkaku lifted his head to look him in the eye.

"Shoulda broken you out the first time," he said. "That day they found Aizen dead. Shoulda locked you up in the 11th somewhere and let ya out when all this was over. Then maybe…" He trailed off then sighed. "Then maybe ya wouldn't be in this mess."

Kira smiled. "Maybe not," he said. "But then _you_ would be and Yumi would kill you." Ikkaku laughed humorlessly and Kira stayed quiet. A group of people passed by beyond the walls of Kira's cell and their voices floated in through the window. They were arguing heatedly. Everyone seemed to be arguing nowadays. He had been hearing people come and go outside his cell since he got here, all talking agitatedly.

"What's happening out there, Ikkaku?"

The older shinigami's face grew dark and his eyes hardened under the red painted on his eyelids. "What _ain__'__t_ happening out there?" He said bitterly. "It's all messed up. Taichou got into some shit for attacking Komamura-taichou. They even called Yumi and me in for questionin'. Just some questions," he clarified when Kira's brows drew together in concern. He shook his head. "I dunno what the big deal is. 's not like Tousen wasn't in on all this with those bastards."

"How is he?" Kira interrupted. "Hisagi-san?"

Ikkaku shrugged. "No idea. He ain't talkin' much. He was sleepin' when I left." Kira nodded and he cleared his throat. "Things are pretty wild," he went on. "I don't think any o' ya lieutenants went to the office today. I heard even Nanao went AWOL. No one knows what to do. Load o' bullshit, if you ask me. We oughta hunt those bastards down. Make 'em pay for what they did."

Kira shook his head. "They'd cut us down to pieces."

"I can take 'em," He lied.

Kira chuckled. Then something in his blue eyes changed. "Have you…have you been to the 4th?" He asked softly.

Ikkaku didn't fail to notice Kira's eyes glance at the bandages peeking through the neckline of his uniform but he knew the blond wasn't asking about him. "She ain't awake yet," he said and wished it were anything but the truth when Kira's eyes misted over and the blond looked away. Ikkaku swallowed and reached through the bars to lay a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Unohana-taichou's lookin' after her herself. She's gonna be all right."

He squeezed Kira's shoulder to comfort him and the blond sniffled and wiped at the corners of his eyes. "This is insane," he whispered into his hands and Ikkaku leaned in closer.

"Tell me about it," he said. His hand returned to the cold metal bars and he stared at the top of Kira's head. Now he knew why he hadn't gone to see Kira the day they locked him up for attacking Hinamori. "Just tell 'em yer innocent already," he whispered and Kira's head came up abruptly then lowered again as he stared at the floor.

"Am I?" His voice was little more than a whisper but Ikkaku heard him loud and clear. The words hung heavily over them; Ikkaku felt the weight of them in the air.

"O'course ya are," he said after some time. "Why wouldn't ya be?" Before the blond could form a reply, Ikkaku's arm shot into his cell and gripped him by his shihakushou. "Ya didn't kill anybody, did ya? Ya didn't hurt anyone. What the fuck is wrong with ya?" He glared angrily at his former lover. Another man would have quailed under his gaze but the younger shinigami only stared back at him.

"You don't know," Kira whispered. His eyes were brimming with unshed tears.

Ikkaku would have none of it. "What don't I know? What that bastard did to ya? What he made ya do?" He shook his head in disbelief. "Rangiku told us everythin'."

"I still helped them, Ikkaku," Kira grasped the bald-headed shinigami's wrist and tried to push it away. His voice was raised in response to Ikkaku's fury.

Ikkaku held on. "Ya let Hitsugaya-taichou go back for Hinamori. Ya tried to fucking save her!"

"Hitsugaya-taichou was almost killed!"

"They'd _both_ be _dead_ if ya hadn't told 'im to go back!" Ikkaku dragged Kira towards him and the blond's hands came up against the bars to keep himself from slamming face-first into the metal. Anger coursed through Ikkaku's blood, raw and hot. "They woulda killed ya," he hissed. "They woulda killed ya if you said no."

Kira glared at him, blue eyes flashing with molten fury and despair. "Anyone else…" he said through gritted teeth. His breath was coming in pants and his whole body shook from the effort of reigning in his anger. "Anyone else would have rather _died_."

Ikkaku let him go and Kira fell to his knees, trembling violently with suppressed anger. Ikkaku slowly lowered himself to his knees so he was leveled with the younger shinigami. "Damn it," he said to no one in particular. He was shaking. Why the fuck was he shaking?

"I had no choice," Kira whispered. "I had no choice."

"Ain't that what I've been sayin' from the start?" He looked to Kira but the blond wasn't looking at him, hadn't even been speaking to him just now. "Hey." He reached in through the bars and turned Kira so that the blond was facing him.

The blond blinked at him as if seeing him for the first time then quickly wiped his tears away, taking deep shuddering breaths at the same time. When he looked up again he had regained his composure. Ikkaku stared at him steadily, waiting. Kira opened his mouth to speak again just as the door suddenly opened and Choujirou stepped back in.

Ikkaku quelled the rage that welled up inside him at the horrid timing and glared at the 1st Division Vice-Captain who only gazed back solemnly. He looked back to Kira who looked at him miserably now.

"Time's up." The bald shinigami tried to say it lightly but failed. Kira looked even more miserable. Ikkaku sighed. "Here. I brought ya something."

They both stood up as he removed the package he had kept under his arm the whole time. He passed it through the bars to Kira. "Fresh uniform," he said when Kira took it. "Thought ya might need it." He watched the blond unwrap the package and carefully unfold the heavy black fabric within.

"How did you…?"

The bald shinigami scratched the back of his head self-consciously. "I dropped by your place on the off chance that…that you didn't change yer lock or anythin'," Ikkaku said lamely. He reached into his pocket and held his hand out to Kira. "Good thing I kept forgettin' to give this back, eh?"

Kira eyed the small key Ikkaku held out in his palm and smiled. He closed Ikkaku's fingers around it. "Keep it," he said and Ikkaku opened his mouth to argue. Kira shushed him gently. "We don't…we don't know how long I'm going to be in here," he explained. "I could need more uniforms." He chuckled mirthlessly then went quiet. Their eyes met and Kira squeezed Ikkaku's wrist gently when he felt it tense.

A cool breeze misted with raindrops swept in from the window and Kira shivered. There was the distant rumble of thunder followed by the unmistakable sound of rain.

"Madarame," Choujirou called from down the hall and Ikkaku startled and muttered a begrudging "yeah, yeah" under his breath.

"Hang in there," Ikkaku said softly to Kira who only nodded. He took a step back from the blond but kept their eye contact. "What ya said earlier," he began and Kira's eyes darted from Choujirou then back to Ikkaku. The bald shinigami ignored the unwelcome lieutenant. "I hope ya know it was a whole load o' crap." He said, stepping away from the cell and quickly making his way down the hall.

Kira's eyes widened fractionally and he suppressed the urge to call him back. Ikkaku was again arguing with the older shinigami but Kira didn't even try to hear what they were saying. He watched both Ikkaku and Choujirou go with a mixture of relief and regret until they disappeared from his sight and the slamming of the door reached his ears.

* * *

Yumichika woke up to find that he was staring at the ceiling. He groaned when he felt his neck ache and pulled his head back up. The pain flared and he rubbed at the sore muscles, trying to massage the pain away. Sword-callused hands suddenly settled over his and he stiffened.

"Did you find him?" he asked tersely, not looking up. He took the noncommittal grunt as a yes and closed his eyes when those hands started kneading the muscled on his neck.

"Thought I told ya to go home," Ikkaku grumbled, working out the knots in Yumichika's shoulders. The smaller shinigami hummed then sighed.

"I thought I told you I wouldn't," he said, leaning his head back so it rested against Ikkaku's hard body. He opened his eyes. "How is he?" he asked and Ikkaku looked away.

Even after all these years the bald shinigami was still uncomfortable talking to him about anything that had to do with his former lover. Yumichika waited patiently and eventually Ikkaku looked back at him.

"It could be worse," was all he said and again Yumichika waited. Ikkaku obviously had more to say on the matter. The bald shinigami sighed and pulled up a chair and sat behind his lover, leaning in so he could wrap his arms around the other and bury his face in his hair.

"They've got 'im behind bars, Yumi," he said quietly. "Kept 'im there all night like some criminal. It ain't right." Ikkaku's arms tightened around the brunet's lithe frame but Yumichika said nothing. "He's innocent."

Yumichika sighed. "Ikkaku…"

"You know he is."

Yumichika closed his eyes. Behind him Ikkaku sighed and pulled him tighter against him. Ikkaku obviously still cared deeply for Kira but Yumichika wasn't angry or jealous. He understood why Ikkaku had to see Kira; it was something the bald shinigami would do for any one of his friends. But Ikkaku was badly injured; the wound that ran up his torso to his chest had barely been healed before he was back on his feet again. Ikkaku may be many things but he was not invincible.

The brunet turned in his seat to face the bald shinigami and pulled him into his arms. He wanted nothing more than to go home and take Ikkaku with him. He thought about Kira locked behind bars and for one frightening moment imagined him as the traitor he was accused to be. It made a chill run down his spine.

"He is," was all he said, trying to comfort his lover. "He'll be okay." He kissed Ikkaku's forehead and Ikkaku nuzzled his hair and kissed his cheek, making Yumichika laugh softly. "Down, boy," he chided and Ikkaku pulled away, grinning. Yumichika grinned back at him then the bald shinigami's face became serious.

"Thanks," Ikkaku said gruffly. His voice was low and hoarse. "Thanks for lettin' me see 'im."

Yumichika's smile softened and he shook his head. "Idiot," he said. He huffed and looked away. "You make it sound like you needed my permission." He turned and cupped Ikkaku's cheek gently in his hand. "You don't have to ask me to _let_ you do something you want to," he said seriously, blue-violet eyes staring into Ikkaku's. "And I better not have to ask you to let _me_ do something I want to," he smiled cheekily and gave his lover's cheek a light slap.

Ikkaku blinked and then grinned sheepishly. "o'course you don't gotta."

Yumichika gave him a satisfied smirk then let his face fall into a serious expression. "I want to go home, Ikkaku," he said quietly, contradicting the words he had said only moments ago. He saw Ikkaku's dark eyes shift from him to the doorway behind him. They were filled with worry. Yumichika ignored it and stared openly at his lover.

Eventually Ikkaku sighed and nodded. "Yeah, I guess we should. Ya look like you need some sleep." He grinned and Yumichika's eyes widened.

"What?!" He said anxiously, hands flying to the smooth skin under his eyes. Ikkaku chuckled and Yumichika glared at him. "Not funny," he snapped and got up, pushing his chair back extra hard so it hit Ikkaku in the stomach. The brunet snickered and dashed for the door then yelped when strong arms caught him just as he reached it.

Ikkaku spun him around then pinned him against the door with his body. He was grinning and Yumichika was glad to see that there was no longer any trace of anxiety in his eyes. He leaned in and kissed him full on the mouth.

"Minx," Ikkaku said once they broke apart and Yumichika only grinned. He opened his mouth to speak and ended up yelping in surprise when the door opened behind him.

Ikkaku caught him before he hit the floor and they both looked up to find Hisagi staring at them, wide-eyed.

"Sorry," The brunet said and stepped back. "I…ahem…didn't hear you in there." He made a sound that sounded suspiciously like a suppressed snicker and Yumichika's eyes narrowed into a glare. Ikkaku only grinned and pulled them both up.

"Your timing is shit, Hisagi," Ikkaku said and clapped his friend on the back. Yumichika huffed and swiped at imaginary dust off of his uniform before looking at Hisagi.

The younger shinigami was grinning but there were dark circles around his eyes. His uniform was rumpled and his hair unkempt. Yumichika knew immediately that Hisagi had not stumbled upon them without a good reason. Ikkaku must have guessed this as well because the bald shinigami had gone quiet.

"Whatcha doin' here?" Ikkaku asked and Yumichika looked back at Hisagi. The lieutenant's face was serious now.

"Do you know where Kira is?" He asked tentatively. Yumichika caught a hint of quiet desperation in his voice and looked immediately to Ikkaku. He bit back a curse.

Just like that Ikkaku's newly restored mood shattered like breaking glass. His shoulders sagged and his eyes clouded over with worry. He shook his head and looked away, muttering a curse.

Hisagi looked at him expectantly but Ikkaku wasn't looking at him. He was looking at Yumichika who was trying very hard not to glare back at him. Ikkaku apologized to his lover with his eyes and turned to face the young lieutenant. "Yeah," he said quietly. "Yeah, I know where he is."

Yumichika felt a migraine coming on.

* * *

"You're going to drown out there."

A soft smile played on Nanao's lips even before she turned to face the newcomer. "Rangiku-san," she greeted her long-time friend.

The taller woman huffed and tossed her umbrella aside, combing her fingers through her messy blond hair. She made a face when she found that it was damp from the rain. She shuffled her feet experimentally and groaned when her tabi made wet noises against the floor.

"Ugh," she said disgustedly, making Nanao giggle. Rangiku looked up at the sound, getting her first proper look at the bespectacled brunet standing across the room from her. "You didn't stay here the whole night, did you?" She asked when she took in her friend's tired face.

Nanao only smiled. "You know how stubborn Tetsuzaemon can be."

Rangiku shook her head. She gathered her hair into her hands and attempted to squeeze some water out of it. "Well, apparently he's not the only stubborn one around here."

The brunet rolled her eyes. "I'll say. I thought they asked you to come back this afternoon. What are you doing here so early?"

"I didn't want to be late," Rangiku said, shrugging a shoulder, and Nanao let it slide, knowing better to argue with the older shinigami.

"Where's Shuuhei?" The blond asked and didn't miss the way Nanao cringed.

"I'll give ya three guesses," Iba said suddenly, coming through the open doorway. He had two umbrellas with him and quickly made his way across the room toward Nanao.

Rangiku sighed. "Those two…" she said softly, shaking her head. Nanao looked at her sadly as she took the umbrella Iba offered her, unsure of what to say. Iba looked from one solemn face to the other and cleared his throat.

"He'll be fine," he said firmly and Rangiku seemed to snap out of it and looked at the burly lieutenant, a hint of a silent plea in her blue eyes.

"He better be," was all she said before she looked away with a distant smile on her face.

Nanao's heart broke. She wasn't sure she was talking about either Hisagi or Kira anymore. "I think," she said as she stepped closer to her friend. "This belongs to you." She smiled as she let Rangiku's bright pink shawl unravel between them. The blond stared at it for a moment before taking it and wrapping it around her waist. She gave the younger woman a grateful smile.

"You two should get going," she whispered. Nanao nodded and pulled her friend into a loose hug.

"It'll be okay, Rangiku-san," she said softly before letting go and moving away. "It'll be okay."

Iba stepped over and put a hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently. She thanked him with a smile and silently watched the two of them leave. Halfway down the hall she saw Iba step closer to Nanao and place a hand on the small of her back.

_Ya could have held on a little longer. _A voice came unbidden in her mind. Her shoulders sagged and her scarf dangled limply about her, threatening to fall off completely as she heard that melodic lilt in her head.

_Sayonara, Rangiku. Gomen._

She closed her eyes and tightened her scarf around herself. The rain seemed to fall harder outside.

It was going to be a long day.

**TBC**

* * *

**A/N:** There you have it. This was longer than I would have liked with more characters than I can do justice in just one go but I do hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed (making Izuru miserable) writing this! Comments? Suggestions? Violent reactions? Please let me know!


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